Surgical retractor

ABSTRACT

A surgical retractor is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a surgical retractor includes a body extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having a first portion coupled to a second portion via a hinged connection, wherein the first and second portions are configured to rotate about a body axis; a first radiolucent tip coupled to a distal portion of the first portion; a second radiolucent tip coupled to a distal portion of the second portion; a holder coupled to one of the first or second portions; and a deformable member extending through the holder, wherein the deformable member is configured to be deformed to facilitate fixation of the surgical retractor at a desired location.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/518,022, filed Jun. 12, 2017, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to devices and methods that improvesurgical procedures by, for example, providing a working space for theprocedure and improving the surgical conditions for the practitioner ofa procedure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In surgical procedures generally, surgeons try to keep incisions assmall as possible to minimize or reduce trauma to the patient and damageto tissue. However, it is usually necessary that the surgeon have aclear view of the operating field. Also, an opening may need to beenlarged to accommodate the passing of medical implants therethrough.

A variety of retractors, such as, for example, weitlaners, are availablefor use in surgical operations to reposition muscular tissue, vessels,nerves, and other tissue with the aid of retractor blades, therebyproviding access to the site of the operation. However, many currentretractors have several shortcomings. For example, weitlaners are proneto falling out of the incision during a procedure. In some cases, theretractors would fall on the floor or another non-sterile area,rendering them useless. Also, weitlaners are not radiolucent and,therefore, require removal from the incision before radiographic images(e.g., x-rays) of the area beneath them are taken; otherwise they willappear in the images and impede visualization the area beneath them(e.g., a fracture beneath the weitlaners).

Therefore, a need exists for a retractor system that overcomes orminimizes these and other problems.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of surgical retractors are disclosed herein. In someembodiments, a surgical retractor includes a body extending from aproximal end to a distal end and having a first portion coupled to asecond portion via a hinged connection, wherein the first and secondportions are configured to rotate about a body axis; a first radiolucenttip coupled to a distal portion of the first portion; a secondradiolucent tip coupled to a distal portion of the second portion; aholder coupled to one of the first or second portions; and a deformablemember extending through the holder, wherein the deformable member isconfigured to be deformed to facilitate fixation of the surgicalretractor at a desired location.

In some embodiments, a handheld surgical retractor includes a bodyextending from a proximal end to a distal end and having a first portioncoupled to a second portion via a hinged connection, wherein the firstand second portions are configured to rotate about a body axis, andwherein a distal portion the first portion of the body includes a firsthole and a distal portion of the second portion of the body includes asecond hole; a first radiolucent tip coupled to the distal portion ofthe first portion and having a third hole corresponding to the firsthole; a second radiolucent tip coupled to the distal portion of thesecond portion and having a fourth hole corresponding to the secondhole; a first pin extending through the first and third holes to couplethe first radiolucent tip to the first portion of the body; a second pinextending through the second and fourth holes to couple the secondradiolucent tip to the second portion of the body; a holder coupled toone of the first or second portions; and a deformable member extendingthrough the holder, wherein the deformable member is configured to bedeformed to facilitate fixation of the surgical retractor at a desiredlocation.

In some embodiments, a surgical retractor includes a body extending froma proximal end to a distal end and having a first portion coupled to asecond portion via a hinged connection, wherein the first and secondportions are configured to rotate about a body axis; a holder coupled toone of the first or second portions; a first radiolucent tip coupled toa distal portion of the first portion; and a second radiolucent tipcoupled to a distal portion of the second portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more readily understood with reference to theembodiments thereof illustrated in the attached figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a surgical retractor inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a top view of a surgical retractor in accordance withembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the surgical retractor of FIG. 2Ataken along line B-B′;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a radiolucent tip of a surgical retractorin accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a surgical retractor deployed at a surgical site inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention will now be described. The followingdetailed description of the invention is not intended to be illustrativeof all embodiments. In describing embodiments of the present invention,specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, theinvention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology soselected. It is to be understood that each specific element includes alltechnical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish asimilar purpose.

The terms “first position,” “second position,” and “third position,” asused herein, merely refer to dissimilar positions and are not meant toimply that all embodiments can only be adjusted to one, two, or threepositions. In some embodiments, a surgical retractor may be adjustableto a finite number of positions. In other embodiments, the distancebetween one or more components can be increased or decreased to anydesired extent, thereby allowing a surgical retractor to adjust to analmost infinite number of positions.

The following description is made with reference to FIGS. 1-2B. FIG. 1depicts an isometric exploded view of a surgical retractor 100 (e.g., ahandheld surgical retractor) in accordance with embodiments of thepresent invention. FIGS. 2A and 2B depict top and cross-sectional views,respectively, of the surgical retractor 100. In some embodiments, thesurgical retractor 100 may be a handheld surgical retractor such as, forexample, a pair of weitlaners. The surgical retractor 100 includes abody 102 extending from a proximal end 104 to a distal end 106. In someembodiments, the body 102 may be formed of any material suitable for useat a surgical site such as, for example, stainless steel. The body 102includes a first portion 108 coupled to a second portion 110 via ahinged connection 112 such that the first and second portions 108, 110are rotate about a body axis 114. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 1 and2B, the hinged connection 112 may include a sleeve 116 extending throughan opening 117 formed through the body 102 (i.e., through the first andsecond portion 108, 110) and having an opening to receive a fixationelement 118. The sleeve 116 includes an enlarged head 115 which abutsthe body 102 when a portion of the sleeve 116 extends through theopening 117. In some embodiments, the sleeve 116 may include internalthreads and the fixation element 118 may be a screw having externalthreads corresponding to the internal threads of the sleeve 116. In someembodiments, the fixation element 118 may alternatively be bonded to thesleeve 116 via any conventional manner such as, for example, welding,adhesives, etc. Each of the first and second portions 108, 110 include afinger ring 120 at the proximal end 104 to facilitate use of thesurgical retractor 100 with a user's fingers.

First and second tips 122, 124 are coupled to the distal end 106 of thebody 102 (i.e., to a distal portion 109 of the first portion 108 and adistal portion 111 of the second portion 110, respectively). FIG. 3depicts an isometric view of the first tip 122 in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention. It should be noted, however, thatFIG. 3 may alternatively be a depiction of the second tip 124. To couplethe first tip 122 to the first portion 108, a distal end of the firstportion 108 is inserted into an opening 302 formed in the first tip 122.In some embodiments, the diameter of the distal end of the first portion108 may be larger than the diameter of the opening 302 such that thedistal end of the first portion 108 is press fit into the first tip 122.In some embodiments, the distal end of the first portion 108 mayalternatively be coupled to the first tip 122 via other means, asdiscussed below. Although this description has been made with regard tothe first tip 122, it should be noted that the second tip 124 isconfigured similar to the first tip 122. As such, this description alsoapplies to the second tip 124.

As noted above, the inventors have discovered that conventionalretractor tips obscure a surgical site (e.g., an incision in which theretractor is used) to be viewed in radiographic images such as, forexample, X-rays. As such, the first and second tips 122, 124 may beformed of a radiolucent material (herein after first radiolucent tip 122and second radiolucent tip 124) such as, for example, aluminum, toadvantageously allow for radiographic images of the surgical site to betaken without removing the surgical retractor 100 from the surgicalsite. The first radiolucent tip 122 includes a first plurality of tines123 extending from a distal portion of the first radiolucent tip 122.Similarly, the second radiolucent tip 124 includes a second plurality oftines 125 extending from a distal portion of the second radiolucent tip124. When the surgical retractor 100 is in a first position (shown inFIG. 2A), the second plurality of tines 125 extend between correspondingones of the first plurality of tines 123. When the surgical retractor100 is in a second position (shown in FIG. 1), the first and secondplurality of tines 123, 125 are spaced apart from one another to engagea features of a surgical site to space the features apart (e.g., in asurgical incision to widen the opening). In some embodiments, one of thefirst and second pluralities of tines 123, 125 may include one more tinethan the other one of the first and second pluralities of tines 123, 125(as shown in FIG. 1).

In some embodiments, the distal portion 109 the first portion 108 mayinclude a first hole 126 and the distal portion 111 of the secondportion 110 may include a second hole 128. Similarly, the firstradiolucent tip 122 may include a third hole 130 corresponding to thefirst hole 126 and the second radiolucent tip 124 may include a fourthhole 132 corresponding to the second hole 128. In such an embodiment,the surgical retractor 100 further includes a first pin 134 configuredto be pressed into the first and third holes 126, 130 to couple thefirst radiolucent tip 122 to the first portion 108 of the body 102 and asecond pin 136 configured to be pressed into the second and fourth holes128, 132 to couple the second radiolucent tip 124 to the second portion110 of the body 102. Such a configuration advantageously allows for easyremoval and cleaning of the first and second radiolucent tips 122, 124.However, it should be noted that the first and second radiolucent tips122, 124 may be coupled to the first and second portions 108, 110 in anyalternative suitable manner. For example, the distal ends of the firstand second portions 108, 110 may alternatively include a feature that ispress fit into the first and second radiolucent tips 122, 124 toremovably couple the tips to the body 102. Alternatively, theradiolucent tips may alternatively be permanently coupled to the bodyvia, for example, welding or adhesives.

As previously noted, conventional retractors can fall out of surgicalsites onto non-sterile surfaces such as the floor, rendering theretractors useless until properly cleaned. To address this drawback, theinventive surgical retractor 100 includes a holder 138 coupled to one ofthe first or second portions 108, 110 and a deformable member 140 (e.g.,a deformable rod) extending through the holder 138. The deformablemember 140 is configured to be deformed to facilitate fixation of thesurgical retractor 100 at a desired location. For example, if the useris performing a procedure on a patient's wrist, the deformable member140 may be deformed such that the rod curls around the patient's wrist,as illustrated in FIG. 4, to hold the surgical retractor 100 in placeand prevent it from falling off. In some embodiments, the holder 138 isrotatably coupled to the body 102 such that the holder 138 (and thedeformable member 140) is free to rotate about the body axis 114 whenthe holder 138 is coupled to the body 102; thus advantageously providingthe user with more flexibility as to how the deformable member 140 canbe deployed at a surgical site.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the holder 138 mayinclude a through hole 139 through which the sleeve 116 may extend afterit extends through the opening 117. The diameter of the through hole 139is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve 116 such thatthe holder 138 is allowed to rotate about the body axis 114 when theholder 138 is coupled to the body 102. The holder 138 further includes achannel 141 configured to receive the deformable member 140. In someembodiments, the holder 138 may further include a threaded hole 143extending perpendicularly to the channel 141 and a set screw 144configured to be threaded into the threaded hole 143 to exert a forceperpendicular to the deformable member 140 when disposed within thechannel 141. As a result, the deformable member 140 is securely heldwithin the channel 141.

In some embodiments, a portion of the body 102 of the surgical retractor100 includes a ratchet pawl assembly 127 disposed proximate of theholder 138 and configured to prevent movement of the surgical retractor100 towards the first position once the surgical retractor 100 has beenforced into the second position (i.e., by forcing the two finger rings120 towards each other).

While the invention herein disclosed has been described with referenceto specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modificationsand variations can be made thereto by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A surgical retractor; comprising: a bodyextending from a proximal end to a distal end and having a first portioncoupled to a second portion via a hinged connection, wherein the firstand second portions are configured to rotate about a body axis; a firstradiolucent tip coupled to a distal portion of the first portion; asecond radiolucent tip coupled to a distal portion of the secondportion; a holder coupled to one of the first or second portions; and adeformable member extending through the holder, wherein the deformablemember is configured to be deformed to facilitate fixation of thesurgical retractor at a desired location.
 2. The surgical retractor ofclaim 1, wherein the first radiolucent tip includes a first plurality oftines extending from a distal portion of the first radiolucent tip,wherein the second radiolucent tip includes a second plurality of tinesextending from a distal portion of the second radiolucent tip, whereinthe second plurality of tines are adjacent to the first plurality oftines when the surgical retractor is in a first position, and whereinthe first and second pluralities of tines are spaced apart from oneanother to engage a surgical incision when the surgical retractor is ina second position.
 3. The surgical retractor of claim 2, wherein aportion of the body disposed proximate of the holder includes a ratchetpawl assembly configured to prevent movement of the surgical retractortowards the first position once the surgical retractor has been forcedinto the second position.
 4. The surgical retractor of claim 1, whereinthe holder is rotatably coupled to the body such that the holder is freeto rotate about the body axis.
 5. The surgical retractor of claim 1,wherein the first and second radiolucent tips are formed of aluminum. 6.The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the body is formed ofstainless steel.
 7. The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein thedistal portion the first portion of the body includes a first hole andthe distal portion of the second portion of the body includes a secondhole, wherein the first radiolucent tip includes a third hole and thesecond radiolucent tip includes a fourth hole, and wherein the surgicalretractor further comprises: a first pin extending through the first andthird holes to couple the first radiolucent tip to the first portion ofthe body; and a second pin extending through the second and fourth holesto couple the second radiolucent tip to the second portion of the body.8. A handheld surgical retractor; comprising: a body extending from aproximal end to a distal end and having a first portion coupled to asecond portion via a hinged connection, wherein the first and secondportions are configured to rotate about a body axis, and wherein adistal portion the first portion of the body includes a first hole and adistal portion of the second portion of the body includes a second hole;a first radiolucent tip coupled to the distal portion of the firstportion and having a third hole corresponding to the first hole; asecond radiolucent tip coupled to the distal portion of the secondportion and having a fourth hole corresponding to the second hole; afirst pin extending through the first and third holes to couple thefirst radiolucent tip to the first portion of the body; a second pinextending through the second and fourth holes to couple the secondradiolucent tip to the second portion of the body; a holder coupled toone of the first or second portions; and a deformable member extendingthrough the holder, wherein the deformable member is configured to bedeformed to facilitate fixation of the handheld surgical retractor at adesired location.
 9. The handheld surgical retractor of claim 8, whereinthe first radiolucent tip includes a first plurality of tines extendingfrom a distal portion of the first radiolucent tip, wherein the secondradiolucent tip includes a second plurality of tines extending from adistal portion of the second radiolucent tip, wherein the secondplurality of tines are adjacent to the first plurality of tines when thehandheld surgical retractor is in a first position, and wherein thefirst and second pluralities of tines are spaced apart from one anotherto engage a surgical incision when the handheld surgical retractor is ina second position.
 10. The handheld surgical retractor of claim 9,wherein a portion of the body disposed proximate of the holder includesa ratchet pawl assembly configured to prevent movement of the handheldsurgical retractor towards the first position once the handheld surgicalretractor has been forced into the second position.
 11. The handheldsurgical retractor of claim 8, wherein the holder is rotatably coupledto the body such that the holder is free to rotate about the body axis.12. The handheld surgical retractor of claim 8, wherein the first andsecond radiolucent tips are formed of aluminum.
 13. The handheldsurgical retractor of claim 8, wherein the body is formed of stainlesssteel.
 14. A surgical retractor; comprising: a body extending from aproximal end to a distal end and having a first portion coupled to asecond portion via a hinged connection, wherein the first and secondportions are configured to rotate about a body axis; a first radiolucenttip coupled to a distal portion of the first portion; and a secondradiolucent tip coupled to a distal portion of the second portion. 15.The surgical retractor of claim 14, wherein the first radiolucent tipincludes a first plurality of tines extending from a distal portion ofthe first radiolucent tip, wherein the second radiolucent tip includes asecond plurality of tines extending from a distal portion of the secondradiolucent tip, wherein the second plurality of tines are adjacent tothe first plurality of tines when the surgical retractor is in a firstposition, and wherein the first and second pluralities of tines arespaced apart from one another to engage a surgical incision when thesurgical retractor is in a second position.
 16. The surgical retractorof claim 14, further comprising: a holder coupled to the body; and adeformable member extending through the holder, wherein the deformablemember is configured to be deformed to facilitate fixation of thesurgical retractor at a desired location.
 17. The surgical retractor ofclaim 16, wherein a portion of the body disposed proximate of the holderincludes a ratchet pawl assembly configured to prevent movement of thesurgical retractor towards a first position once the surgical retractorhas been forced into a second position.
 18. The surgical retractor ofclaim 16, wherein the holder is rotatably coupled to the body such thatthe holder is free to rotate about the body axis.
 19. The surgicalretractor of claim 14, wherein the distal portion the first portion ofthe body includes a first hole and the distal portion of the secondportion of the body includes a second hole, wherein the firstradiolucent tip includes a third hole and the second radiolucent tipincludes a fourth hole, and wherein the surgical retractor furthercomprises: a first pin extending through the first and third holes tocouple the first radiolucent tip to the first portion of the body; and asecond pin extending through the second and fourth holes to couple thesecond radiolucent tip to the second portion of the body.
 20. Thesurgical retractor of claim 14, wherein the first and second radiolucenttips are formed of aluminum.